March 18, 2009
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One huge fear I have is that Lydia will have asthma. I have severe asthma. I was diagnosed at 15 months of age, and hospitalized 3 times by the time I started school. I was on medication regularly and had many trips to the emergency room. When I got to high School (I had to be cool) I started smoking. At the age of 18 I was hospitalized my senior year in H.S. The day after Thanksgiving. I was hospitalized again in the spring. This pattern followed for 10 years. At 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 I was hospitalized twice a year, and I had frequent ER visits in between at the very least 3 times a year.
My last hospitalization for my asthma was in July 2003. (I met Fred a week later, and Jesus Christ 2 months later) I have not been hospitalized for my asthma since then. I have had maybe 5 ER visits for my asthma in the almost 6 years since then. I use a nebulizer pretty regularly. I am on Advair, Singulair, Combivent, Duoneb, and Intal and have had more bursts of Prednisone than I care to count. My bedside table looks like I’m a hospice patient. I deal with it though, because it is all I have ever known. I did quit smoking several years ago – but did irreparable damage to my lungs.
I got through pregnancy great! I was always afraid I’d never be able to have kids because of my health.
I have a BEAUTIFUL daughter. I know the anguish I felt when she was under the bililights in the Hospital. I know what I felt when she got her shots yesterday. I’ve feared asthma for her since before she was conceived.
I read today in Parents magazine that babies born by C-section have an 80% greater chance of being diagnosed with asthma by the age of 8 than those born vaginally. AND babies born by C-section to asthmatic parents have an even greater chance! If you are a person of prayer I would appreciate it if you’d add Lydia to your list. Not for my sake, not even for her sake, but that God would be glorified by her overcoming these terrific odds.
Comments (4)
I love the way you have new mom freakouts. It is just so overwhelmingly loving. Noone has that anymore… besides us crazy moms.. Im agine if all people cared as much as moms!
I’ll be prayin!
I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers. Is there any way to tell now whether she will have asthma or not? Have you talked to the pediatrician about it?
I will definitely keep her in my thoughts and prayers <3
Ill say a prayer too. I have had 3 c-sections, and only one of my kids has asthma. Both my husband and I do, but I have it much worse than he does. Hooray for you for quitting smoking! My husband is working on it. Here is the plus side…if Lydia does end up with it, you know exactly how to treat it. You know what an attack looks like and what to do for it. And if she does end up with it, maybe it wont be as bad as yours. I know its hard, but try not to worry. Just put it in the Lords hands.